Lucas Gugliandolo grew up in a household where Monday nights were non-negotiable. His late Nonno, Mario Gugliandolo, would gather the family around with his orange recipe book. That exact book sits at the heart of Spaghetti Club, the new Sicilian trattoria that opened at 95 Swan Street, Richmond, in mid-May 2026.
The restaurant comes from Mamas Dining Group, the team behind Hochi Mama and Straight Outta Saigon, marking their first Italian venture and eighth venue overall. Head chef Michael Flemming (ex-Totti’s, Press Food & Wine) channels those family recipes into a menu of handmade pasta, slow-cooked sauces, and wood-fired focaccia. Among the dishes: a 10-hour baked ziti, Nonno’s lasagne heavy on bechamel and originally reserved for Easter and Christmas, maccheroni alla norma, and a ricotta cannoli with a confidential ingredient.
Gugliandolo describes the restaurant as “a love letter to my Nonno’s legacy. Every Monday, he’d gather us around with his trusty orange recipe book, passing down a taste of Italy. Now, we’re carrying it on at Spaghetti Club. Every sauce is a nod to the man who started it all.” His grandmother’s demand that “the family would all be there on Monday nights” shaped a generosity now served on sharing plates rather than silver cloches.
The shift from Asian fusion to Sicilian family cooking is a deliberate one for Mamas, which now counts eight venues across Melbourne. Early diners posted their reactions on Instagram: “such great vibes!!!” wrote melbfoodieee, while bnnieh called it “omg their first italian venture!”.
Inside, the space draws from the Gugliandolo family home: orange tiles, yellow-tinted windows, and an open kitchen framed by copper pots and terracotta planters. A slick marble counter wraps around the cooks, balancing nostalgia with contemporary polish. Despite the name, only two spaghetti dishes feature on the menu; the focus is on generous sharing plates, which surprises first-timers expecting a pasta-only lineup. And if you’re picturing red-and-white checked tablecloths, you won’t find them here. The room feels more like a sun-drenched Sicilian home than a tourist cliché.
Where Mamas’ earlier venues fused pan-Asian flavours, Spaghetti Club sticks to direct Sicilian recipes, leaning into the weekly family dinner feel rather than fine-dining formality. Weekend tables are already filling fast. The restaurant is open Monday and Tuesday from 5pm until late, and Wednesday through Sunday from midday until late, with aperitivo sessions on Saturday and Sunday from 3pm to 5pm. Bookings via OpenTable are strongly recommended.
The easiest way in is by tram: routes 70 and 75 stop directly on Swan Street, and Richmond Station is a five-to-10-minute walk. Parking is a gamble on busy evenings. Before or after dinner, you can explore Swan Street’s strip of Asian street-food spots, wine bars, and laneway haunts; Richmond’s weekend markets turn the neighbourhood into a full-day food crawl.
The cannoli recipe remains a Gugliandolo secret, but for the first time, Nonno’s lasagne – once saved for Easter and Christmas – is available any day of the week.
Quick Facts
Mamas Dining Group
Melbourne hospitality group behind eight venues including Hochi Mama, Straight Outta Saigon, Disuko and now Spaghetti Club. Focuses on vibrant, concept-driven restaurants blending cultural influences with generous sharing plates and lively atmospheres.